Cheap Video Games

Tips for Finding Deals

• Unless you're itching to have your game the day it hits stores, patience can be the biggest boon to your wallet. Often video game prices fall shortly after launch, sometimes as little as a few weeks. If the game is a flop and you're still interested, the price will drop further and more rapidly.

• Used games are your friend. Games that have been gently used can be purchased for very attractive prices. Many times the previous owner played the game, beat it (or didn't like it) and put it up for sale.

• Video game retail stores frequently offer promotions and sales on video games. Keep a close watch on your local dealer.

• Rent and borrow. Renting video games often costs less than a few dollars per game. Blockbuster and GameFly are two good rental places, the former a brick and mortal rental store, the latter a monthly fee-based online store similar to NetFlix. These are especially good ways to try out games before you buy them, just in case they turn out to be duds.

• Never be satisfied with one source. When you want a good price on a video game, search at least three different places, preferrably more. Get a good idea what the going price is for your game, then try to beat it.

Finding the Bargain Online

There are several great sources for cheap video games on the internet. Bookmark these sites and keep checking for lower prices or listed sales.

• Trading forums - Perhaps the least secure way to go, many video gaming forums feature a "Buy, Sell, Trade" section on their message board. Users post games they're putting up for sell or list items they're willing to swap. Popular message boards with good trading links, such as NTSC-UK.com, will have a strong user base and have many games both old and new up for grabs. Sign up and keep tabs on their trading threads. Each forum maintains a "bad trader" list with people who never delivered the games they promised. Avoid these people (most likely they've been banned) and you'll have problem free game swapping.

• eBay - One of the best sources for cheap video games, eBay should be a regular visit if you're looking for deals. Look for "ending soon" auctions or ones that have just been listed. You can get some amazing deals if you keep a close eye on eBay.

• Used game retailers - Check Half.com and Amazon.com from time to time and search for any games you'd like. These websites are massive retailers for all sorts of products but have healthy video game sections. Many times you can find great deals. Checking the used games section of popular retailers such as EBGames.com and GameStop.com are also good places to start. Although they don't always have the latest games or the largest selection, Outpost.com, the online extension of Fry's Electronics Store, occasionally has stellar prices on new video games.

• Froogle - Google's product search tool, Froogle, is another great way to find video game deals. Enter your game's name, often surrounded by quotation marks for the best results, and browse results from a number of sources both large and small.

• Price comparison - A few online price comparison sites such as Pricegrabber or CNET's MySimon allow you to quickly compare prices on any video game. They're worth checking out before dropping your hard earned dollars!

Cheap Websites

www.cheapassgamer.com - The URL says it all! CheapassGamer collects all of the latest coupon codes and sale announcements from dozens of game retailers both on the internet and terra firma. A very active forum membership keeps the best video game prices all in one place. A must-bookmark sight for the price-minded gamer.

The Frugal Gamer - A part of GameTab's video game site, The Frugal Gamer is another great site that collects deals from around the internet.